Big Yellow Taxi
by your royal highness
Summary: Set before Engaged Part II. "But you don't know what you got till it's gone." He'd already lost her once. Ziva's trip with Gibbs overseas has Tony worried, but he doesn't know how to tell her. TIVA


**So this is me…coming back after forever. Just a one-shot, I know that I will never find time to finish a really long story, even though I have a million ideas I'd love to share with you all. I am so sorry I've been gone so long, but I've had school and work and a lot of other things I've had to deal with! But here it is. **

**This is set right before Engaged Part 2, just so you all know!**

"_And here is Counting Crows with Big Yellow Taxi on 97.1 the WASH the best variety from Yesterday and Today…They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, with a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swinging hot spot. Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone..." _Tony droned out the radio as it played the song and he drove to work at 0700h.

Work had been difficult for him the past couple of nights, working too hard for his own good. They were all tired, what with the fact that Flores and two kids were lost somewhere in Afghanistan.

He drove into the parking garage and searched for his normal spot. He wanted something that didn't change. He spotted McGee walking through the parking garage towards the elevator and Tony gave himself a little smirk before speeding up and making sure the tires squealed as he turned a sharp corner and laid on the horn. McGee turned around and bolted towards the elevator as Tony rolled down the window and screeched around him, "Morning probie!" He shouted as he barely missed his fellow teammate and pulled into one of the empty parking spaces.

Tim rolled his eyes, "Are you trying to kill me?"

Tony got out of the car and grinned, strutting towards him, "Nope, just trying to make sure you were aware of your surroundings."

"You scared the hell outta me!" He exclaimed as Tony caught up to him.

"You're welcome." He grinned, "Now I know you're not asleep."

"I was walking; I thought it was obvious I wasn't asleep."

Tony just shrugged his shoulders, "You're never awake enough for Gibbs."

* * *

><p>Once the two entered the squadroom, they saw that Gibbs was already there. Tim started for his desk and so did Tony, "Morning, boss!" McGee greeted Gibbs.<p>

"Morning, McGee."

Tony looked over at his partner's desk and noticed her stuff was there but she wasn't. He then took his seat and shuffled papers around, "Where's our pretty little Israeli?" Tony questioned, looking at his boss.

"With Abby." He replied, "She's getting ready."

Tony furrowed his eyes together, "Ready? She's going undercover?"

"No." He said, "Flores is very much alive. I was given specific orders from Vance not to return from Afghan until I brought her back here. Ziver's coming with me."

Tony stood up quickly, his heart nearly dropping into his chest, and then realized what he was doing, "No..." he paused and looked at McGee, who was merely staring at him, "…way." He finished, "I mean, boss, do you really think she's ready for that?" He lowered his voice, looking into his steel blue eyes.

He stared back at him, no emotions found, "She isn't a kid anymore, DiNozzo, she can take care of herself. We leave in an hour, It's only until we find Flores."

"But-" Gibbs didn't let him finish, however.

"She's fine." He said firmly, "Rule 29."

"Never have a reason to worry; if you have a reason, do something about it." Gibbs just smirked and walked away.

Oh, he had a reason to worry. And he was sure as hell going to do something about it. Only if he could find his partner before they left.

* * *

><p>"Good morning, McGee!" Ziva smiled as she walked into the bullpen, he hair pulled back into a bun.<p>

"Morning, Ziva, you seem chipper today." He commented as she went and sat down at her desk.

"Just in a good mood, that is all." She glanced over and noticed Tony's empty desk, "Where is Tony?" She questioned, pointing her pen slightly in the direction of his station.

He shrugged his shoulder, "Beats me. But he was looking for you earlier."

"Why?" She questioned.

Once again, he shrugged his shoulders, "That's something for you to ask him."

She furrowed her eyebrows together and then turned around and reached into her bag, pulling out her wallet and grabbing a dollar. She then started towards the break room, craving a bar of chocolate. Yes, it went against her diet, but she needed some sugar before her flight to Afghanistan. With Gibbs.

Entering the break room she went to the vending machine, inserting the dollar and searching for what she wanted and then pressing A8. The Hershey's bar dropped and she happily grabbed it, ripping off the wrapper and shoving a big part of it into her mouth.

"Sweet tooth, David?"

She whipped around and came face to face with none other than her partner.

"Tasted good." She commented, taking another bite from her chocolate, smaller this time.

He smiled and then motioned for her to move out of the way as he inserted his money into the slot on the machine. He got a different piece of candy and then sat down at one of the tables.

Ziva stared at him and then silently moved and took her place next to him, "I heard that you were looking for me?" She broke the silence and his eyes met hers. He took one more bite from the candy and then set it down onto the table.

"Well I wouldn't say that looking was the right word but-" He started, but she cut him off.

"Tony. You knew what I meant."

He sighed, "Look, I…" he paused; it was obvious he was struggling with words, "I heard you were going with Gibbs to Afghan and I thought, you know, you might need a survival kit, cause you know, traveling in that plane with Gibbs for hours upon end will get really boring." He joked, faking a smile.

She stared at him and raised an eyebrow, "What kind of survival kit?"

"Oh, you know, with like magazines to help you pass the time, and music and-" He grabbed her chocolate off the table, "-candy. And a list of conversation starter's cause you might think you know what to talk about with him, but trust me that can get a little tricky sometimes." He gave a small laugh, "I mean the guy builds boats and carves wood in his basement during his free time, I mean come on, he isn't exactly the chatty type, if you haven't caught on yet." He chuckled again.

She just continued to stare at him, "And this is what you wanted to talk to me about? McGee told me you were looking for me."

He paused for a moment and then nodded his head, "Yup, just gotta get my partner informed." He grinned.

She wasn't buying it though, and Tony knew that, but she decided to play his little game until he gave in, "Alright, and what are these conversation starters?" She questioned.

She swore that he visibly gulped as he racked his head for some kind of answer, "Well, he likes guns. Cause you know he was a sniper, and um, you could um, talk about um, um, vintage cars-"

"Vintage cars?" she questioned.

"Yeah…and um, wood carving, and…how to make sure you come back…"

She snapped her head up, "What?" she asked, "You do not think I will come back?" She furrowed her eyebrows together and Tony just looked at her.

"I uh, think that somebody needs me in the squadroom." He stood up and Ziva quickly followed, grabbing him by the wrist and turning him around, stopping him in his tracks.

"Do not run from your fears." She scolded.

"I'm just worried." He said, lowering his voice and staring into her eyes. He was probably less than a foot from her by now, "Last time you went to the Middle East…you…you didn't come back."

"Tony." She said firmly but gently at the same time, "I will come back."

"How am I supposed to know that?"

"It is called trust. You are my partner, and if you have not noticed, the circumstances are different than they were last time."

"Yeah," He laughed, "You're not dating a terrorist." She narrowed her eyes at him, "Sorry."

"That is not the only thing that has changed." She mentioned and he cocked his head slightly.

"Care to enlighten me on what else has changed?"

There was a small silence between the two as Ziva gathered her thoughts, "I will return, Tony." She put her pinky up into the air and he stared at it.

"What are you doing?"

It was her turn to furrow her eyebrows together, "American custom, yes? Um...the pinky promise? You are not supposed to break them, Abby told me. It means that the promise is real."

He smiled and linked his pinky with hers, "You better keep it."

"Of course I will." She promised, sincerity in her voice, "I just pinky promised, yes?" She placed her hand on his cheek and rubbed her thumb against the skin there before lightly tapping it, exchanging a smile, and then walking away, leaving Tony to stand there and reminisce in the feeling of her hand upon his skin.

His mind slightly drifted back to the song on 97.1 this morning; _"You don't know what you got till it's gone." _

Well she was his little piece of paradise.

He'd already lost her once.

He was not about to lose her again.

Pinky promise.

**And there it is! A little short, but good enough for me. I know the pinky promise thing was kind of cheesy…but please review! I'd love to know your opinion! Btw, I made up that Gibbs rule…just so you know haha. Review!**


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